Vacuum mixer for comminuted meats, etc.



.` F. A. LINDBERG ETAL VACUUM MIXER FOR COMMINUTED MEATS, ETC.

Filed March 7, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENToRs 2v2/TZ A. M2552 6. BY .EL/wie @L4/e0.

ATTORNEY rHc; f

Dec. 23, 1941.

F. A. LLNDBERG ETAL VACUUM MIXER FOR COMMINUTEDVMEATS, ETC.

Filed March 7, 1940 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 23, 1941. F. A. LINDBERG ET AL VACUUM MIXERl FOR CMMINUTED MEATS,l ETQ.

Filed March 7, 1940 5 shetS-sheet' s wf w Patented Dec. 23, 1941 UNITED@ STATES P VACUUM MIXER FOR COMMINUTED v MEATS, ETC.

Fritz A. Lindberg, Evanston, and Elmer R. Laird,` Chicago, Ill., assignors to Armour and Com-V pany, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application March- 7, 1940, Serial No. 322,773

5 Claims. (Cl. 259`---104) This invention relates to a vacuum mixer for comminuted meats and like materials.

An object of the present invention is to provide simple apparatus whereby comm'muted or ground meat may be effectively stirred within a vacuum chamber and removed therefrom without taking the meat out of the car conveyor. A further object is to provide vacuum chamber apparatus adapted to permit a meat truck to be rolled into it and the meat stirred while still in said truck, a partial vacuum being employed to draw out the air within the meat as the same is agitated. A further object is tov provide simple apparatus whereby a car or truck containing meat can be quickly passed into a vacuum chamber without obstruction, the chamber opening being sealed and a partial vacuum .produced while the meat is being stirred, a second opening being provided for the removal of meat clinging to the agitating blades before withdrawal of the truck. Other specic objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by the accompanying drawings, in whch- Figure 1 is a perspective view of apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional View of the vacuum. chamber and stirring apparatus; Fig. 3, a transverse .sectional View of the same; Fig. 4, an enlarged sectional View showing the locking means employed for closing and sealing the door; Fig. 5, an enlarged transverse sectional detail view showing the locking mechanism in position for maintaining the door in non-sealing position;V and Fig. 6, a View similar to Fig. 5 but showing the eccentric means for maintaining the door in sealing position.

In the illustration given, A designates a casing providing a chamber; and B, stirring or agitating mechanism within the chamber.

The casing A may be of any suitable construction. In the illustration given, it comprises metal sides I which cooperate with the concrete floor slab I I yin forming an air-tight closure except for a door opening I2 in the lower portion of the front side, and a side opening I 3 adjacent the stirring apparatus B. The floor II mayf be formed of metal or other suitable material, if so desired.

The front opening I2 is large enough to receive a car or truck I4 provided with rollers, which may be rolled'through the open end and on to the track or path provided by the floor- I I. Any suitable means for providing an airtight closure for the opening I 2 may be employed. We prefer, however, to employ the following means. A rail frame I5 is provided for encircling the front side of the casing I0. The side rails II are provided with longitudinal slots II. A door I8 extends between the side rails I6 and is supported upon a pair of rods I9. Each rod I9 is provided at its ends with an eccentric 2B, the eccentric .'member 20 and the rod I9 being secured together by a pin 2I. About eacheccentric 2i! is a roller 22. The rollers 22 are received within the slotways II o'f the side rails I6. At one end, each of the rods I9 is provided with a washer 23 and a 4nut 24. At the other end, which is reduced at 25, the rod I9 is secured by a pin to a handle`26 having a relatively long leverage arm. WhenV the lever is rotated, it causes the eccentric 2l] within the roller 22 to shift the rod I9 toward or away from the door frame.

The door I8 is counterbalanced by weight 21 suspended upon a flexible element 28 passing through pulleys 29 and 30, the end of the flexible element 28 being secured to the top of the door I8.

The easing II) about the opening I2 is provided with an inset resilient sealing stripI 3| which may be formed of rubber or other suitable material. When the door I8 is pressed against the sealing strip 3I an airtight seal is provided.

The window opening I 3 is provided with a closure and sealing structure like that already described with respect to the door opening I2 and need not be therefore described in detail. The I-beam frame 32 extends beyond the opening I3 and a closure frame 3.3 similar to the .closure frame I5 is supported thereby. TheV door 34 is likewise supported upon rods 35 identical in structure with the rods I9, and theY eccentric locking and roller means operated by the :handles 35 are identical with the structures 20, 2| and 22 described in connection with the door closure. The rollers likewise move vertically in slots'carried by the frame 33. A pair of weights 3'Il ex tend over pulleys 38 and 39 and are securedfto the top portion of the door so as to balance the weightthereof. ``lesilient sealing strips are `emrployed, as has beenvdescribed with reference toA the door opening I2. Y Y

At the rear sideof.; the casingis a bracket member 4I) supporting va bumper block 4t which limits the inward movement of the truck'or car I4. y Supported by the frame Ill are angle bars 42 extending inwardly within the chamber, Each of the members 42 carries a depending metal strap 43, to `which is rotatably secured guide wheels orV rollers 44.; The rollers 44 engage the body of the car or truck I4 and direct it into a space in which it is properly aligned with the stirring apparatus B. i Y n r.lhe stirring apparatus B may be of any suitable construction. In the illustration given, a pair of drive shafts i5 are mounted in bearings 45,' the bearings being carried by the angle iron supports 4.2. From the shafts 4 5 extend agitating blades 4l, the blades extending generally from one side ofV the shaft only, leaving the other lside .55' carried at the outer end of shaft 54.

of the shaft unimpeded, thus providing a clearance for the truck or car I4, as illustrated clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. When the shafts are rotated, however, the blades dip downwardly into the contents of the truck and effectively stir or agitate it.

Any suitable means for driving the shafts"45 'vided with an indicator arrow 55.

"Any suitable form of agitating blades may be employed. The curved blades. are found to be effective in the stirring operation. However, if

desired, straight blades or blades of other convguration may be used.

Any suitable means for evacuating the chamber may be employed. As shown more clearly in Fig. 2, casing l is providedv with an outlet 'pipe 56 leading to suitable suction apparatus -(not shown) Operation 'In the operation of the apparatus, the levers 26 are thrown so as to release th'e door I8 and permit it to be raised to the open position shown in Fig. 1. The motor is then operated to bring the blades 41 to the raised position shown in lFigs. 2 and 3, thus providing an` open space for the introduction of a truck below. The desired position of the blades is indicated by the arrow The truck bearing a load of ground meat is then pushed through the door opening l2 and into engagement with the rollers 44 which direct 'it into the proper position below blades 41. For- `ward movement of the car I4 is stopped by the bumper 4I The door I8 is then pushed into llower position and the levers 26 swung so as to rotate the eccentrics 20. Th'e rotation of the eccentrics 20 from the position shown in Fig. 5

In the illustration given,l j

to the position shown in Fig. 6 shifts the rods seal. rI'he window opening 34, if it has not previously been closed, is now closed and sealed by the same operation. The motor and the suction apparatus are then set in operation. The rotation of shafts 45 causes the blades 41 to move into the body of ground meat and stir it, thus freeing under the influence of suction the entrapped air, vapors, gases, etc. After the treatment is complete, the motor is driven to bring the indicator arrow 55 to vertical position. The window closure 34 is lowered, and the operator removes any meat which is clinging to the agitatorA blades, allowing it to fall into the body of fth'e car. Door I8 is then raised and the car removed.

The operation is simple, effective, and may be l. In combination, a casing providing a chamber open at one end and adapted to receive a Yfilled truck open at the top, a shaft supported upon bearings above said truck, agitator blades carried by saidv shaft and extending radially therefrom except at one side of said shaft to provide clearance space for the insertion and removal of said truck, means for rotating said shaft to bring said blades into contact with the contents of said truck to agitate the same, means for sealing said open end of the chamber, and means for drawing a partial vacuum in said chamber while said contents are being agitated.

2. In combination, a casing providing a chamber open at one end and adapted to receive a comminuted meat truck open at the top, agitating means ksupported upon a fixed horizontal axis above said truck and adapted to move into the interior of said truck to agitate said meat, said agitating means being movable above said truck to permit the introduction and removal thereof, means for actuating said agitating means, means for sealing said open end of the chamber, and 'means for drawing a partial vacuum in said chamber while said meat is being agitated.

3. In combination, a casing providing a chamber open at one end and adapted to receive a filled truck open at its top, a shaft supported upon bearings in fixed vertical relation with respect to said truck, blades extending from only one side portion of said shaft and adapted when rotated to enter and agitate the contents of said truck, means for rotating said shaft, means for sealing the open end of said chamber, means for guiding said truck into a space below said blades, and means for drawing a partial vacuum in said chamber while the contents of said truck is being agitated.

4. In combination, a casing providing a chamber open at one end and adapted to receive a lledroller truck open at its top, a drive shaft supported above said truck in fixed vertical relation with respect thereto, blades carried by said shaft on one side thereof permitting said truck to move therebelow but extending, when said shaft is rotated, into the contents of said truck to agitate the same, means for sealing said open end of the chamber, and means for drawing a partial vacuum in said chamber while the contents of said truck is being agitated.

5. In a' chamber open at one end and adapted to receive a filled truck open at its top, said chamber being provided with a slidable closure and eccentric means for sealing said closure in closed position, a shaft supported for rotationabove said truck, blades carried by saidshaft and extended'radially from said shaft except on one side thereof, said blades extending from said shaft a distance slightly less than the distance between said shaft and the top of said chamber and when in upper position providing an open space therebelow through which said truck may enter or be removed from said chamber but extending into and `agitating the'contents of said truck when rotated into lower position, and means for drawing a partial vacuum in said chamber.

FRITZ A. LINDBERG.

ELMERR. LAIRD. 

